Marquez: I've stopped drinking my own urine

ABS-CBN News

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) - Mexican boxer Juan Manuel Marquez revealed he has discontinued one of his most famous and unusual training regimens: drinking his own urine.

A photograb of an HBO video clip showing Juan Manuel Marquez holding a glass filled with his urine.

In the 2nd episode of 24/7: Pacquiao vs Marquez, the Mexican fighter said his doctor has already advised him to stop the practice.

"On the advice of my doctor and my physical trainer Angel (Hernandez), they told us we should stop," Marquez said. "We're looking for what can help me, and if the doctor says no longer drinking it will help, then we'll stop."

Marquez is currently training for his trilogy bout against rival Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao.

During his visit to the Philippines last September, Marquez defended the practice, saying, "My urine is medicine because it has a lot of vitamins."

Hernandez, a graduate of Texas A&M University, explained he gave Marquez a new exercise regimen that will help the boxer handle the additional weight he put in.

Pacquiao and Marquez will fight at a 144-pound catchweight.

"There's a lot of things he's never done, and today he's doing a lot of different things, a lot of different strategies, and he's responding positively to it," Hernandez said.

Marquez admitted that he is new to the state-of-the-art training strategies that Hernandez is espousing.

"It is something I have never done in my career," he said. Nonetheless, he said, "I feel really confident, and I think when the time comes it will serve me well."

Hernandez is focused on allowing Marquez to boost his speed in order to match that of Pacquiao.

"The fight is gonna be about quickness. Obviously, Juan Manuel is quick but not as quick as Mr. Pacquiao," he admitted. "But by doing what we are doing now, he's definitely gonna be fast, real quick, and he's definitely gonna be strong."

Stronger at 144-pounds

Despite having to put on weight, Marquez's sparring partners believe he is stronger at 144-pounds.

"I think the weight is helping. It's helping add power to his punches. He is gaining strength, he seems a lot more powerful," said one sparring partner.

"Last week, he seemed really slow, but he was punching hard. With one jab, he really dazed me," said another sparring partner. "Now I feel like he's hitting harder and he's got speed."

But Marquez' coach, Hall-of-Famer Nacho Beristain, is not yet satisfied with what Marquez is doing, even though the boxer is knocking down his sparring partners.

"Those accidents happen in training. There's no reason to start celebrating yet," he said. "Our goal is Pacquiao. He is what we are working for."

Marquez said he is working as hard as he has ever had for the trilogy bout.

"We're training as if it were my debut, as if this were my first professional fight," he said. "We're training that hard."

Pacquiao and Marquez will meet each other for the 3rd time on November 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.